Every year participants and judges alike look forward to distinguishing a new stand out crowd of winning individuals. If you have a Township business in Gauteng and haven’t entered your eligible Start-Up, take note: it is more than worth it. If you haven’t heard of these awards, read on as they are inspirational!

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Award Goals

The award’s aim is to grow township economies from mainly consumer bases to thriving centres of commerce. In order to do this they seek too:

Award Honours

The most critically acclaimed award is the injection of hard cash into your business endeavour!

Starting a business from scratch can cost a great deal and it takes time before one achieves a turnover that is profitable.

Reward amounts can be as high as 1 Million Rand; which can allow a small business to invest in its own success, roll out an expansion plan, or acquire critically needed equipment.

Another excellent award offered is (all-expenses paid) training by industry leaders and experts.

Enhance your skills and business savvy by attending workshops, conferences, and more.

All led by individuals who have achieved success against the odds in today’s marketplace.

Being a chosen as a finalist for the Gauteng Township Entrepreneur Awards brings much coveted media and attention to your business objectives, services, and offerings. This alone could tip the scales in favour of your business succeeding with new clients.

A 2016 award component included the opportunity to be filmed as part of a fourteen segment TV series on Township Entrepreneurs which teaches skills and is embedded with even more exposure!

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Competition Entry & Process

Once entered, the businesses go through a detailed judging process and finalists are shortlisted. Once winners have been chosen, the awards are presented in a grand gala-style event. While businesses involved in manufacturing and production are of unique import in this quest, there are eleven separate categories that a business or Start-Up can be entered into.

Additional special recognition across all fields exists for:
• Youth Entrepreneur
• Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
• Entrepreneur of the Year
• Entrepreneur with a Disability

The criteria for entry are not complex. Rules include that the individual must possess South African citizenship, be a resident of Gauteng province, have a legally operating and registered business, submit financial statements, and are earning less than R2million per year. Find the complete rulebook here.

Learn more and watch a discussion about the awards here:

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Spread the Good News

Raising awareness that these awards exists is important! Each year entries can compete for the chance to win and grow.

If you have an idea that you are passionate about don’t put it aside. Cultivate your inspiration and let your ideas grow into success stories that inspire others to reach for their dreams too.

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Funding

If you fear that traditional funding schemes might not be suitable for your idea or project consider exploring Crowdfunding. Especially uniquely South African specific platforms such as Thundafund it includes mentoring and assistance to Start-up’s and business initiatives in order to help them achieve success. There is also Jumpstarter, another South African crowdfunding platform.